The candidate of Poland’s governing party, Bronislaw Komorowski, has won the country’s presidential election. Exit polls immediately after the voting gave him a small but clear lead over the opposition leader, Jaroslaw Kaczynski, who congratulated his opponent and called him the winner. Mr Kaczynski is the twin brother of the previous president who was killed in the Smolensk plane crash three months ago. Bronislaw Komorowski said his election was a victory for democracy in Poland.

"This was an unusually difficult campaign, because it took place in the shadow of the Smolensk catastrophe and in the shadow of the drama of the floods. It was a campaign which proved that the Polish state, even in the most difficult moments, passes the test and copes as a democratic government."